Beyond Fate
by Lady Jayde Une
Summary: My contribution to PhilindaAU's 'Two Blue Lines' Tumblr prompt. How powerful is fate? I hope you enjoy


When Phillip Coulson, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was told he was going to be a father, he was both anxious and overjoyed in equal measure.

Melinda May broke the sensitive news of her pregnancy to him bluntly while he was alone in his office. She was so matter-of-fact, he found it difficult to tell if she was happy or not. He knew Melinda wanted children years ago, when she was married to Andrew, before she endured the horror of Bahrain, but he didn't know about her feelings on the issue since. Granted they'd stopped using protection during sex months ago, neither of them thought this was a possibility. Fate has a funny way of proving us all wrong, I guess…

Coulson and May had come together physically after she returned from her extended vacation, following the battle with Jaiying and the Inhumans. He missed her so much, it seemed words couldn't truly express how much. May matched his passion and they hadn't slept alone since.

By the time Coulson was provided with a mechanical hand, which he thought looked really cool, Melinda was 'showing'. Her belly having a pronounced roundness to it with her tiny, slender frame. At night he would lie on his side watching as May sat up slightly in bed, fiddling with the pregnancy test, it's two blue lines still as clear and bright as the day it changed their world forever. Coulson gently took the test she was playing with out of her hands and placed it on the bedside cabinet with his new mecha-hand. He then gently rested his metal hand on her swollen abdomen, his cold thumb rubbing her bump. He buried the upset he felt when he was unable to feel the warmth of her body or the motions of their child with his new hand, and hid it well with a small smile. Melinda placed her hand on his and kissed him.

Before long he and May were debating baby names, after they gave in to their curiosities and discovered she was carrying a girl. Needless to say, at first, May hated all of his suggestions. She wasn't going to call her little girl 'Peggy' or 'Stevie' she nearly banned him from baby-name duty until he suggested 'Amelia-Mae'. Coulson didn't want May to catch on that *when* they get married, cause he had plans, that their daughter's name will sound like 'Amelia May-Coulson'. Though in truth, this could've been why Melinda liked the name so much.

Coulson didn't know what fear was until the day came to let May's mother know about their new arrival. Needless to say Lian May was not impressed to find out such news nearly 7 months into her daughter's pregnancy and matters weren't helped when she found out that they hadn't married yet. Luckily, she calmed down and even approved of Phil's baby name, his fear making way to pride, swelling in his chest.

The rest of Melinda's pregnancy went well and was uneventful. The birth however, was not. May was in labour for 30 hours and lost a lot of blood, he never left her side; through the agony of birth, trauma of blood-loss and transfusion, and as a father, keeping his baby girl close to her mother for when May regained consciousness. He knew that when May woke up she would be distressed not to find her daughter close by, he wouldn't want her to think her only daughter had died during birth.

After gaining consciousness, May wasn't permitted to leave the hospital room for 7 days. Phil spent most of the day with 'his two girls', his 'Queen' and his 'Princess'. Seeing May with their little girl made Coulson's heart burst with love and pride. He could truly say this was the happiest moment in his life.

Phil's perfect moment was ruined when Melinda looked at him squarely and said, "Come back, Coulson." Confusion reigned as he regarded her closely. "Coulson, damn it! Come back to us!"

May's voice was replaced with Skye's as the warmth and pride he felt moments before, vacated his body in an instant. Only to be replaced with a cold, hollow, empty feeling. Coulson's eyes shot open, he gasped and took in his surroundings quickly. He could see he was in the lab, lying on a gurney, Simmons and Skye either side of him, both of which, looked worried.

"Coulson, oh thank God!" Skye flung her arms around his neck so quickly she took him by surprise.

He was so confused, he had no idea what was going on. One moment he's with Melinda and Amelia-Mae and next thing he knows he's flat out on a gurney. Bringing his mecha-hand to Skye's shoulder, he eased her away slightly. "Skye, calm down. I'm ok. See?"

Skye nodded but didn't break contact. Phil smiled, he really did love her like a daughter, "Good," he looked around the small room they occupied and his heart fell when he couldn't see May or his daughter. "Now, where's May and Amelia?"

Simmons and Skye looked at each other, then at Coulson, worry gracing their features again. "Sir, May is still on her extended vacation. I did speak to her yesterday and she was very sorry she wasn't able to get a flight back to the playground before your Op."

"Op?" He looked between the two young women. "What Op?"

"Your hand, Sir. Though it looks like you've taken to it very quickly. It seems you don't require much in the way on how to operate it. That's really quite extraordinary!" Coulson had stopped listening at that point and continued to scan the room.  
"But Amelia-Mae…?"

"Who's Amelia-Mae, D.C?"

Phil felt like his heart had stopped, "She's my-" he felt his throat closing slightly in anxiety, "She's my-", again his words were cut short. He looked down, unable to bear the weight of they're expectant stares. "Errr, nevermind." Coulson cleared his throat and politely asked the girls to leave so he can piece his thoughts together. His mind a jumble or what is reality and what was fantasy.

It all felt so real, he felt every moment and now he discovers it was all in his head…

Was his mind playing a cruel game? Or was this fate, guiding him to a possible future? He didn't know, but he took the hint, next time he saw May, he was going to let her know how much he loved and relied on her. He felt so wonderful, complete and damn near invincible in his 'dream-world', but now, without May, he was the exact opposite. He felt dejected, empty and vulnerable.

Yes, things will definitely change once May returns, but this time he won't suggest 'Peggy' and 'Stevie' as baby names *and* he'll convince May to speak to her mum as soon as possible after May's first trimester. Provided that they do, indeed, have a child.

For now, he will keep all this to himself and pray that his dream was a glimpse at the future, which he had no idea he'd be so very prepared for.

~~Fin~~


End file.
